Photo shows a Ukrainian man clutching his cat, the only survivors of a Russian airstrike that destroyed their family home

• Heartbreaking photos show a man clutching his cat after they’re the only two to survive a bomb attack. 
• He lost his children, wife, and grandchildren, according to the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 
• The Kyiv man had escaped the city to find shelter from the war. 

A Ukrainian man and his cat were the only ones to survive a Russian airstrike in Marhalivka, Ukraine, which killed his  family, Ukrainian officials report. 

The Kyiv man, who has been identified as 54-year-old Ihor Mazhayev,  had fled the city to the nearby town to seek shelter from Russian forces, according to the online post from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 

—MFA of Ukraine 🇺🇦 (@MFA_Ukraine) March 11, 2022

Heartbreaking photos show the man covered in dust and rubble clutching his beloved cat, with the remains of his house behind him. 

The Twitter post states that he lived with 12 people, all of whom died, including his two grandchildren and two nieces, his wife, his daughter, and his sister. 

Another photo shows Mazhayev standing next to the rubble of his destroyed house, whilst people search through the remains. 

The Twitter post by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated President Zelenskyy’s plea for NATO countries to instate a no-fly zone over Ukrainian airspace, thus stopping Russian forces from being able to access the space. 

 There had been 549 civilian deaths and 957 injuries in Ukraine as of 10 March, although it believes the real figure is “considerably higher,” according to the United Nations. Of those killed, 26 have been confirmed to have been children.